MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fernandez thanks Johnson's message but insists he will claim Falklands sovereignty

British prime minister Boris Johnson had congratulated Fernandez for his Sunday victory which will see him take office next 10 December.

Argentine president-elect Alberto Fernandez thanked British prime minister Boris Johnson for his congratulation message but also cautioned that he will not give up the sovereignty claim over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands.

”Thank you prime minister Boris Johnson for your greetings. Without renouncing to our sovereignty claim (over the Islands), we should work to ensure the links between the Argentine and British peoples, who share more than we can imagine“, twitted the president elect.

Previously prime minister Johnson had congratulated Fernandez for his Sunday victory which will see him take office next 10 December.

@10DowningStreet: “Congratulations to @alferdez on winning Argentina’s presidential election. We look forward to working with your new government to continue to strengthen the UK-Argentina relationship.” – PM @BorisJohnson

The Falklands, or rather sovereignty over the Islands is the main dispute between Argentina and UK, which has soured relations for decades and in 1982 during the last military dictatorship led to a full-fledged conflict when Argentine troops invaded the Falklands and where defeated and expelled 74 days later. The conflict cost the lives of 649 Argentines, 255 Brits and three Falkland Islanders.

”During these years the (Argentine) government (of president Mauricio Macri) was very much concerned about trade with the UK, over the Malvinas Islands issue and forgot our sovereignty claim. I want us to again claim sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands and this in my full commitment“, Alberto Fernandez was quoted during one of the presidential debates.

”In the Islands 600 soldiers lost their lives for Argentine sovereignty. To the memory of those soldiers, here is someone who fought for the Malvinas, and in respect to the memory and dignity of all of them I will make sure things are different”.